Header construction for concealed windshield wipers



May 19, 1936. F. 'J. WESTROPE HEADER CONSTRUCTION FOR CONCEALED WINDSHIELD WIPERS Filed March 9, 1931 INVENTOR Fred (f' Wesirape. I

Patented May 19, 1936 i' 69 HEADER CONSTRUCTION FOR CONCEALED WINDSHIELD WIPERS 'Fred J. Westrope, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The Murray Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application March 9, 1931, Serial No. 521,194

7 Claims. (Cl. 296-84) My invention relates to vehicle bodies and particularly to a windshield header therefor which is constructed from a single sheet of metal.

Windshield headers have been constructed heretofore entirely of wood or metal or a combination thereof and have been provided with means for supporting a windshield wiper motor within the body closure or exteriorly thereof.

I propose to construct the header from a single piece of metal in such manner as to provide added strength thereto and to offset a central longitudinal portion thereof sufficiently in depth to receive the motor of a. windshield wiper. The offset portion or receptacle is entirely enclosed by a top front panel which overlaps the header in such manner as to enclose the motor and the receptacle. An aperture is associated with the receptacle through which the motors are insertable within or removable from the box-like structure thus provided.

It is accordingly one object of my invention to provide a header of the above mentioned type with an indented section which shall constitute a receptacle for a motor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a header of the above mentioned type, having a channel portion formed therein, with a top front panel which shall enclose the channel portion to constitute a box-like structure.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a header of the above mentioned type, having a receptacle therein which is covered by a top front panel, with an aperture through which a windshield wiper motor may be inserted to within the receptacle.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a header of the above mentioned type which is formed from a single sheet of metal in such manner as to constitute a receptacle portion with a strengthening and a supporting portion of a configuration which is herein illustrated and described.

With these objects in mind my invention will best be understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, in angular elevation, of door pillars and a side roof rail united to a header which embodies features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View of the header illustrated in Fig. 1 taken along the line 22 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view, in elevation, of the header shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view, in sectional elevation, of a windshield assembly disclosing the header illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in which the windshield wiper motors are mounted.

My invention comprises in general, front body pillars Ill, side roof rails II and a windshield header I2 which is supported between the pillars I0 and the side roof rails II. The pillars I0 are of box-like channel structure made of metal upon which the header I2 is supported and rigidly welded thereto. The side roof rails II are made of wood and are united to the header I2 by means of bolts I3.

The windshield header I2 comprises a sheet metal member, the central section of which is illustrated in Fig. 2. A main web portion I4 is provided with an outwardly extending flanged portion I5 and an inwardly presenting channel portion I6, the purpose and method of construction of which will now be described.

A flange ll of the angle portion I5 constitutes an outer face against which a windshield I8 is supported by means of bolts I9 which register with bolt holes 2| provided in the flange H. The flange I1 extends over the front surface of the front body pillars III and is itself provided with flanges 22 which project over the outer side of the pillars.

The channel I6 extends across the top of the web l4 and projects downwardly along its sides at 26 to join the flange I I through downwardly slop-. ing extensions 23 provided in continuation of the Web 24 of the flanged portion I5. By havingthe flanged member I5 and the channel member I6 so constructed about the web I4 my header is substantially strengthened across both its lateral and transverse dimensions.

The side 25 of the channel I6 extends across the top of the header between the side roof pillars I I to thereby constitute a front roof bow. A side 2%: of the channel I6 and the side 24 of the flanged member I 5 form, with the web I4, a receptacle 2! extending longitudinally in the "header in such manner as to be encompassed by the channel I6 which extends thereabove and along its two outer sides.

The bow portion 25 of the channel I6 extends. downwardly on each of its'si'des and projects laterally thereof to constitute flanges 28 which join the downwardly sloping extension 23 and the flange I1. The flange 28 conforms to the shape of the extension 29 of the front body pillar I0 and is welded thereto to constitute a supporting member for the side roof rails I I.

The windshield header I2 so constructed is 'motor 32.

pressed from a single sheet of metal during asingle operation. The formation is accomplished between a pair of dies (not disclosed) the configuration of which will be readily apparent to anyone skilled in pressed metal work from the V a Web portion 34 of the channel l6, preferably by welding, and are bent away from the web 34 and downwardly to constitute brackets for the Holes 35 are provided in the ends .of the brackets and are threaded to receive bolts 36 by means of which the motor 32 is supported on the bracket. The brackets are so mounted as 'to. have the holes 35 thereof provided within the confines of the apertures 3| as illustrated in Fig. 3 in order that the mounting or removal of the motor 32 may be accomplished through the aperture. r p

A front top panel 31 slopes frontwardly and downwardly from the bow 25 as at in Fig. 4, and then curves and slopes backwardly as at 39 to join the flange I! through an angle'extension- 4| provided thereon. In thisconstruction the front top panel 31 covers the receptacle 21 and the motor 32 to completely enclose the motor. The motor 32 is provided with a shaft 42 which extends through the curved portion 39 of ,the front top panel 31 on the outer end of which a windshield wiper 43 is rigidly attached.

Holes 43 are provided in the web portion 34 'of the channel l6 for the purpose of supporting [a wooden member 44 by means of screws which extend" through the holes. Head-lining cloth 45 is then tacked to the member 44 and a'header finish panel 46 of angular shape is then attached to the member 44 to cover the tacked edge of the head lining cloth 45, and the inner surface of the header I2.

' An operating shaft 41 which controls the starting and stopping of the motor, projects through the aperture 3| and a hole in the finish panel 46 and is provided with an operating knob 48 exteriorly of the member. An inwardly directed flange 49 on the finish panel 46'forms a tubular-shaped opening with the under side of the web 24 through which a conductor 5| for supplying energy. to the motor extends and is'illustrated 'in Fig.1

as a suction tube; It is to be understood that theconduotor 5| may be a wire which is connected to'a source of electric energy for operating a motor which is of theelectric rather than the vacuum type.

7 It .will thusbew seen that I have provided a header for a vehicle carriage which embodies considerablejstrength because of its angular and channel formation which are arrangedto iconstitute a receptacle wherein motors'for operating .windshield wipers are enclosed. Apertures are provided in [a wall of the receptacle, through which the motors may be inserted and mounted on brackets which are accessible through the, opening, The receptacle and the motor. are completely, enclosed by a top front panel which extends downwardly and forwardly completely entions, changes and substitutions may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention'as set forth in the accompanying claims. V

I claim as my invention: V V

1. A. header for a vehicle carriage constituting a unit member embodying a windshield supporting member, a front roof bow, engaging means for front body pillars and supporting flanges for side roof rails.

2. A header for a vehicle carriage constituting a unit member'embodying a windshield supporting member, a front roof bow, a receptacle betweensaid supporting member and said bow for receiving a motor, engaging means for the front.

body pillars and supporting flanges for the sid roof rails.

3. A header for a vehicle body construction comprising a unitary sheet .metal stamping formed to provide two oppositely presenting channels having a common wall, said channels being disposed longitudinally of the header and one above the other in substantially parallel relation, the lower of said channels facing outwardly from the body and providing a housing for windshield wiper operating mechanism, said lower outwardly facing channel having an opening in the rear thereof for permitting the insertion of the wiper operating mechanism from the interior of the body. r 4. A vehicle body, including, in combination, rearwardly sloping door pillars, a windshield frame supported by said pillars, a header disposed above and rearwardly of said frame, and a finish panel extending over said header and adjoining said pillars and windshield frame.

5. The combination in a vehicle body, of a pair of sloping door pillars, a header extending across said door pillars and projecting rearwardly there of, a panel extending over said header and joining said pillars, and'a windshield panel having a frame. thereabout which is secured to 'said pillars and panel, the plane of said frame being forwardly of all portions of said header.

6. A vehicle body including, in combination, rearwardly sloping do-or pillars, a windshield supported'by said pillars, a header disposed above 7 and rearwardly of said windshield, and a finish panel extending over said header and joining said pillars and windshield frame;

'7. The combination'in a vehicle body, of a pair of sloping door pillars, a header extending across said door pillars and projecting'rearwardly thereof, a panel extending over said header and f joining said pillars, and a windshield secured to said pillars and panel, the plane of 'said windshield being forwardly of said header.

FRED J. WESTRQPE. 

